When Tiger Woods came to Muirfield in 2002, he was halfway to an all-conquering calendar Grand Slam, writes Neil McLeman .

Only the apocalyptic Saturday Storm could stop the reigning Masters and US Open champion back then.

A lot of water has passed under the Forth Road Bridge since.

The world No.1 has arrived at the East Lothian links for the 2013 Open Championship without a Major win in over five years and nursing an injured left elbow.

Woods has won four times on the PGA Tour this season but, since his personal crisis, he has lost his old aura of Major invincibility.

He is still favourite to win here, but 10-1 offered are his longest odds this century.

The American superstar declared his elbow is “good to go” and claimed his lack of recent Major success was partly down to bad luck.

“Even though I haven’t won a Major in five years, I’ve been there in a bunch of them where I’ve had chances,” he said.

“I just need to keep putting myself there and eventually I’ll get some.

“It’s just a shot here and there. It’s not much. It’s making a key up-and-down here or getting a good bounce there – this year at Augusta was one of those ­examples.”

Woods hit the flag on the 15th green during the second round at the Masters and rebounded into the water – and was lucky not to be disqualified after his illegal drop.

But the triple Open winner gave a better insight when asked why Major titles are so often lost rather than won.

“There’s a lot of pressure in Major championships, and you’re also playing under the most ­difficult conditions,” he said.

“Generally in these Majors, you’re probably getting close to the top 100 players in the world. And you combine the strength of field with the most difficult ­conditions and with the most heightened pressure, you’re going to get guys making mistakes.

“Conversely, sometimes when you get those conditions you get guys who are playing fantastic. And that’s the neat thing about Major championships.”

That ­pressure now seems to apply to Woods like everyone else.

He still gets into contention – and then throws in a poor round to fall down the field.

Woods finished 13-over par at the last Major, the US Open at Merion.

This pressure will only build in his race against time.

After winning 14 Majors by the age of 32, the 37-year-old still needs four more to reach Jack Nicklaus’s record.

In the 20 Majors since Woods won the 2008 US Open on one leg, 18 different men have triumphed.

Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy are the only two to have won twice – and the world No.2 is now struggling with his game.

But Woods defended his Nike stable-mate – and said he went through the same process.

“I won my first Major and then I proceeded to alter my swing a bit with Butch (Harmon),” he recalled.

“I was getting questioned quite a bit through that stage of my career: ‘Why would you do ­something to that nature?’ ‘How could you change something that won the Masters by 12?’

“I’ve gone through that process. I think he’s going through that and he’s making some alterations. Only he knows it’s for the ­betterment of his game.

“Deep down, he knows what he’s doing.”

When Woods last won the Open in 2006, the Royal Liverpool was so hard and firm he used only one driver all week.

The forecast is similar here this week - although that third-round tempest was not forecast in 2002, when Woods shot an 81 for the highest round of his pro career.

“That was the worst I’ve ever played in,” the American grimaced.

Muirfield has a reputation for producing great champions such as Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino... and a notoriety for continuing to exclude female members.

Woods spoke about Nelson Mandela, but not like him.

“I don’t make the policies,” he said. “I’m not a member, so I’m not going to speak for the club.”

McDowell reckons that 37-year-old Woods is still “the best golfer in the world” but young rivals have upped their game.

The Ulsterman, who will partner world No.1 Woods for the first two rounds at Muirfield this week, said: “Can someone do what Tiger did in the early 2000s, winning Majors with the regularity he was doing?

“It was pretty superhuman golf. I am not sure that is possible any more. When Tiger went missing for a few years it gave a lot of players a chance to step up to the plate and win the big ones.

“Tiger raised the bar, the whole level of golf – the talent, the strength, the athletic nature of the game.

“Everyone stepped up. Young players are coming out tougher. Guys are getting better.”